Automatic flash-light for elevator-thresholds



R. S. PORTER.`

AUTOMATIC FLASH usm ron ELEvAToR THREsHoLDs.

APPLICATIQN FILED DEC. I9, |917.l

vPatented Dec. 7, 1920.

. lNvElQ-ron) WITNEssEs ATTO R N EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

ROBERT S. PORTER,

AUTOMATIC FLASH-LIGHT ron ELEvAToa-THRESHOLDS.

Specicaton of Letters Patent. i

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.`

Application led December 19, 19.17. Serial No. 207,989.

To all whom z'mag/ concern: y

Be it lrnown that I, ROBERT S. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing l'at San Diego, in the county of San Diego, and State of California, have invented ai new and useful Automatic Flash-Light for Elevator-Thresholds, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention has reference to automatic flash-lights for elevator thresholds, and its object is to provide a lighting means for ele-V vator thresholds which shall be operated to illuminate theI threshold when an elevator comes to rest at a landing. l y

The thresholds at elevator landings are often obscured, making it diiicult for passengers to clearly see the threshold, andjannoyance and often accidents occur. In. order to .avoid this difficulty, the inventlon provides a lightV which is causedto shine.A

" only when the elevator comes to a standstill,

the energization of the lamp beingrunder the control `of the elevator operating devices.

The invention comprises electromagnetic means rendered active by the movement of the elevator controller, causing the elevator.V

to travel, to open the electric circuit of the lamp, and when the elevatoris brought to a standstill'the circuit of the electromagnetic devices is broken, whereupon the lamp circuit is automatically closed, and the lamp glows until the elevator is agains started,

the lamp being properly placed to illuminate the threshold and thus guide passenvgers through the elevator door.

The same structure is susceptible of being v operated in the reverse order, that is, the lamp is caused to be illuminated when the electromagnetic means is energized. In this way, the invention may be utilized for other purposes than illuminating the thresholds of elevators, for it may be employed as a signal device to be active only when some structure is also active.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the further understanding that, while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity l.with the showing of the drawings but may be changed and modified so long as such OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF TO HOWELL A. WILLIAMS, OFVKSAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. i

changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

AIn the drawings:

catingrays illuminating the threshold; F 1g. 2 is a vertical section through the casingv Vcontain-ing electromagnetic switch controlling means; f

Fig. 3 isan Yelevation broken awayv ofthe right hand end structure shown in-Fig; V2; A

Fig. 4 is a section of a portion of a structure like that of Fig; 2, but showing a somewhatmodified construction. Y y, Y

`Referring* to vthe drawings, there is shown any elevator cage 1 withl a controller 2 therein, which maybe takenas indicative of an." ordinary f controller, whereby `the travel of the lcage is regulated. Close to the threshold 3 of the elevator there is mounted an electric lamp e, which may be shaded by a casing 5, so as to throw illuminating rays 6 upon the threshold undercircumstances to bel described. 1 l

' At some convenient point, say, under the bottommof the elevator cage, is a casing 7, which may be ametal casing, having one side 8 removable for access to the interior,

with some parts of the By forming the casing 7k of metal, it is pro- Y, Figure 1 is a sectional view of an elevatoi` Y cagewlth the invention applied, and indi-` ceiving conductors 13, one of which may lead into the controller 2 and the other connected up in a suitable power circuit. The arrangement is such that when the controllerl 2 is in position to cause the elevator to move, the circuit through the conductors 13 is closed, but when the controller 2 is brought to the open position, that is, where the elevator is caused to stand still, the circuit through the magnet is opened, and consequently the magnet is denergized. y

The lamp 4 is provided with conductors 14 and 15 respectively, the conductor 14 leading to the casing 7 to which it may be electrically connected by a binding post 16, so that the casing 7 may constitute a part of the circuit. The conductor is assumed to be carried to a suitable source of current.

VThe magnet 9is provided with an armature arm 17 having a pivot connection 18A with a side of the casing 7. The arm 17 carries an armature 19 in position to be attracted by the polar extension 10, while the free end of the arm has a contact 20 in its path, this contact having a binding Ypost extension 21 projecting through the casing, but insulated therefrom. A conductor 22, is

connected to the extension 21', and is assumed to be carried 'to a suitable source of current.

f? .Y lIn Fig. 4, there is provided another contact23 inthe path of the arm 17 "on the side thereof remote from Vthe contact 2O.` The contact 23 "isl carried by al contact fast to the casing 7, with the contact ,23 insulated fromY the bracket, so that the contact" may be connected upV 1in circuit if desired. l

In the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the magnet 9is energized so long as the v elevator "is running v'either up gior"V down. Under thesercircumstances, the'lamp circuit is broken, and ol course the lamp is dark. Whenthe elevator comes to rest atl a landing,'thecontrollerf2 is moved to the off position,and in this position, the circuit through the magnet' 9 is broken, wherefore Atlie-aiinature 19is no longerfattracted, and the arm 17 moving about itspivot 18 falls by gravity Vontothe contact 20, thus completing the circuit'throughthe v'conductor 14, easing `7,V arm 17V and contact 2O to the conductor 22,V

whereupon the lamp 4 glows and illuminates thepth'resholdl permitting passengers to readily see .their way into and out of the elevator. Assoon as the 'elevatorvagain st'a'r'ts'to travel, the magnet is energized, the armature isattracted, and the lamp circuit is broken, sothat the lamp again become/sy dark. Sometimes, it is desirable to cause a signal when the moving parts are in action, as, for instance, to show that amotor or soigne other machine is running. Under such circumstances, the Structure repre-- sented by and contained withinfth'e box 7 may be arranged as shown in F ig. 1, so that the energization of the magnet `will close the lamp circuit and cause the lamp to glow so long'asthe magnet circuit is closed.

What is claimed is: Y

l. rl`he combination with an elevator cage having an electric controller thereon for the cage, of an electric lamp on and movable with thecage and positioned to illuminate the threshold of the elevator, an yelectrol. magnet on the cage in circuit with-,the con- `trolling means for the cage for energization each time the controller circuit is closed,

a gravity switch in the lamp circuit under the control of the electromagnet and Iinclud ing a'fcircuit terminalin the lampcircuit,

and another circuit terminal in thel path vof the'firstfnamed ci'rcu'itterini'nal v'the lamp circuit, whereby, when the elevator' is running,'theswitcli is maintained in the open position by' the energization of theelectro#V magnet and when the elevator stops landing electro-magnet is'denergized and the switch falls to closed position. I A Y 2. rllie combinationwith'an elevator cage `provided with an electric lcontroller v"for operating the'bcage, of ai'elect'ric llamp on thecage and positioned to illuminate the threshold thereof, and an electro-magnetic switchfor thelampV circuit carried by the elevator cage and included/ in the operatingV circuit ofthe. elevator cage, said switch comprising an 5 electroniagn'et, an Y armature therefor, circuit terminals for the lampV cirtestilony that claimV the foregoing as my own, Ihave hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.V 1 Y Y ROBERT s roirrnnp Witnesses:

LQUISE J- DAVIS., JNO- BURNHA 

